School of Nursing receives renewal of HRSA grants

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has received a $427,499 award from the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) for 2013-14, marking the 10th consecutive year that VUSN has received the grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

“We are delighted to receive these much-needed resources to support our students who are passionate about sharing their new knowledge with others as a career choice. Our mission of practice, education, research and informatics is a strong foundation to educate future educators, and something we take very seriously,” said Linda Norman, DSN, R.N., dean of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing.

The grants are designed to help ease a national shortage of nursing educators. The American Colleges of Nursing’s 2012 report concluded that 66 percent of surveyed nursing schools listed faculty shortages as a reason for not accepting qualified applicants into baccalaureate programs.

Students who receive loans for master’s or doctoral degree programs can have up to 85 percent of the loan forgiven in exchange for service as full-time nursing faculty members at an accredited school of nursing.

Students continue to receive funds for the duration of their degree program as long as they maintain good academic standing.